Heating unit



Nov. 23, 1954 H. F BRlNEN ETAL 2,695,160

HEATING UNIT Filed June 9} 1951 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Byz W A TTOIP/VEK Nov. 23, 1954 H. F. BRINEN ETAL HEATING UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 9, 1951 L.. .ll

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ATTUR/VfY United States Patent '1 HEATING UNIT I Howard F. Brinen and Paul F. Brinen, Racine, Wis., as-

signors to Young Radiator Company, Racine, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application June 9, 1951, Serial No. 230,782

2 Claims. (Cl. -257- 46) This invention relates'to steam heating units and'more particularly to what is commonly referred to as a onepipe steam system.

The more general method of conveying aheating fluid, such as water or steam to and from a radiator, is'by means of two pipes, one for the incoming heated fluid and the other for the outgoing cooled fluid, and one for the incoming steam and the other for the outgoing condensate, respectively. In the use ofearlier, large, cast radiators the incoming and outgoing manifolds were usually inch and a half or .two inch nominal size pipes. With pipe of this size it was found that in the use of steam a single conduit to the radiator could be employed. The steam being under pressure would flow in one direction and with the proper pitch to the pipe the condensate would flow in the opposite direction back to the boiler. Solong as the conducting pipes were inch and a half or'more nominal size, such a one-pipe steam system operated with acceptable efficiency and generally could be installed at a considerable saving. In the more recent use of comparatively thin metal radiators, more commonly referred to as convectors, the tubing on which the fins are'assembled'and used for leads to and from the convectorgenerally is one-half inch or five-eighths inch outside diameter. Accordingly, it has been regarded as quite'impracticable to operate a one-pipe steam system with such equipment. The inside diameter of the pipe is much'too small to permit the opposite flow of the steam and condensate in the one channel without such'an interference as would produce annoying gurgling sounds and reduced'heating capacity. Moreover, the standard convector size tappings which range from three-quarter inchto one and a fourth inch N. P. T., will not handle the mixture of steam and condensate through the single opening. Ac cordingly, convectors for steam as well as for hot water heating almost invariably are constructed for a setup in a two-pipe system.

Recent attempts have been made to construct convectors to provide a condensatesealin the outlet passage at its juncture with the steam inlet so as to create apressure differential and maintain the flow of steam to the heating core in one direction. However, the structures being presently provided for this purpose areso expensive that no material saving is effected, especially in theinstallation cost. Hence, these structures have notffound too much favor in the heating industry.

The main objects of this invention, therefore, are to provide an improved convector construction for use in one-pipe steam system; to provide improved means of a very simple form and economical constructionfor readily and inexpensively converting a standard two-pipe convector for use in a one-pipe steam system; and to provide an equipment of this kind comprising essentially an assembly of standard pipe fittings and a piece of tubing which could be made up by the manufacturer of convectors in an accessory package for convectors designed for a two-pipe steam system, thus permitting the alternative installation of the convector on the job.

in the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevation of a standard convector, show ing in dotted outline the heating core;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a perspective of the heating core, showing the hangers whereby the core is given the required pitch in the convector cabinet;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the lower portion of a standard convector showing 3 in dotted outline, behind an air-inlet grill, the arrangement of equipment embodyin'g this invention whereby the convector is converted for use inaone-pipesteamsystem;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged,cross-sectional detailof theaccessory equipment which-provides a-condensate seal at the juncture of the condensate-drain and the steaminlet; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged,cross sectional detailof the acces sory equipment whereby the condensate tubingis con nected to the core outlet.

The distinctive concept of this invention involves a short piece of standard tubing-and a-few-simple-standard fittings so-assembled'as' to eonnectthe tubing to the inlet and outlet ports of-a convector and establish acondensate seal at the-juncture'o'f the tubing and the steam inlet conduit capable of creating the-pressure'diiferential requisite'to maintain'a flow of steam-in onedirection through the convector core.

The hereinshown, standard convector for conventional use in a two-pipe hot water or steam system, and where- With auxiliary equipment embodying this invention is adapted to be used to convert it into a one-pipe steam system, comprises a'heating core 11 adjustably suspended in a cabinet 12 by means of hangers 13. The heat exchangecore 11 is of a more or-less conventional construction comprising a pair of "headers 14 and 14"between which extend two'or more tubes 16 and on which'tubes are assembled fins 17 The headers 14 and 14 are generally castingswith transversely disposed parts somewhatin the form of a cross (see Fig. 2). One of the parts of each 'headeris provided with a port 18 or18one'of'which, in the assembled core 11, serves as a heatingifiuid inlet and the'other asa fluid outlet. The tubes 16, of which there may be upwards of two, "are of thin metal'preferably copper and usually of an outside diameter of one-half o'rfiveaeighths inch. Thetubes 16 have'the ends extended through=the headersl l and 14 and anchored thereto in a suitable manner. Similarly the platefins 1'7 are'of conventional form, 'being either thin copper or aluminum secured in closely-spacedrelationship on the tubes 16 .between the headers '14 and'1'4'.

The form ofthe cabinet, of course, depends upon'the type of' installation, whether it is to be full height, or low level and whether fully recessed, partially-recessed, or fully-exposed (free-standing) As herein illustrated the cabinet 12 is for normal height, fully exposed use. Generally the cabinet is open .at '19 along the'bottom and formed with a grill 21 along the top. The air heated by the core 11 flows out through the grill 21 and is replaced by'air moving through the opening 19.

The adjustable core hanger 13 herein shown .is of the construction such as illustrated in copending application Serial No. 70,636, filed January 13, 1949, now'Patent No. 2,599,891, dated-June 1Q, 1952. It comprises angularly formed slotted plates 22 secured to each of the headers 14-1'4' and lugged plates 23 secured to the ends ofth'e cabinet '12. These pairsof platesmay be so positioned-relativelyto each other. as to dispose thecore unit 11 horizontally pitched'in either direction as conditions demand.

.An auxiliary conversion equipment embodying thisinvention comprises aservice -T 24, an elbow .26, a piece of tubing 27, and connector bushings 28, 29, and 31. The T, elbow, and bushings may be any of the standard stock material, carried by the manufacturers of convectors or obtainable from any supply house.

Generally, the tubing 27 would be a piece of onehalf inch outside diameter copper cut to a length sufficient to span the distance between the headers 1414' and permit the upturned end 32 to extend into the T fitting, as shown in Fig. 5. This upturned end constitutes a pocket for the condensate flowing down through the tubing 27 from the convector core outlet 18 and forms a seal within the steam inlet so as to create the required pressure differential hereinbefore mentioned. Adjacent the bend 32 of the tubing 27 is a small aperture 33. This should be of such size that the drainage of the condensate through it would be much less than can dissipate the condensate during normal use of the convector. However, it will effect the drainage of the tubing 27 after the convector has become idle for a while and thus prevent freezing of condensate within the tubing 27 if it were likely to be exposed to temperatures below freezing.

These bushings 28 and 29, whereby the tubing 27 is secured to the service T 24 are, as hereinbefore noted, standard fittings conventionally used to secure an air tight connection of tubing to fittings, As made by different manufacturers, these fittings vary somewhat in their detail form. However, they all function in the same manner, namely, to press an annulus into firm engagement with the exterior surface of the tubing 27.

As herein shown, one annulus is the tapered inner end 34 of the bushing 29. When the bushing 29 is screwed into the bushing 28 this annulus 34 is pressed against the exterior surface of the tubing 27 as a result of the annulus being forced against the opposed tapered surface 35 on the bushing 28 (see Fig. Similarly, the tapered inner end of the bushing 31 constitutes another annulus 36 which is pressed against the exterior surface of the tubing 27 as the result of the annulus being forced against the opposed tapered surface formed on the elbow 26 (see Fig. 6) when the bushing 31 is screwed into the,

elbow 26.

These fittings, the T 24, the elbow 26, the tubing 27 and the bushings 28, 29, and 31 are all that is needed to convert a standard convector of the type as shown in Fig. 1, into a one-pipe steam system as shown in Fig. 4. Such parts may be packaged by the convector manufacturer as accessory equipment for its standard convectors designed for use in a two-pipe steam system, whereby, when desired, the standard convector may be converted for use in a one-pipe steam system.

As will be quite obvious, the assembly of these parts with a convector will be as follows:

The service T 24 and the elbow 26 will be connected to the downwardly opening ports 18 and 18' of the inlet and outlet headers 14 and 14', respectively by a suitable nipple 38 and bushing 39, both of standard construction. The bend 32 of the tubing 27 will be inserted through the side opening of the reducer T 24 after the bushings 28 and 29 have been slipped on over the end of the tubing 27. The bend 12 is disposed in axial alinement with the axis of the T 24 with the upper end of the bend 32 disposed above the axis of the side opening of the T through which the tubing 27 extends. The aperture 33 will be located within the fitting 24. The bushing 28 would then be screwed firmly into the side opening of the T 24 after which the bushing 29 would be drawn up to force the annular end 34 against the tapered surface 35 to cause the end 34 to grip the tubing 27 sufiiciently to constitute an air tight seal for the tubing 27 to the fitting 24.

The opposite end of the tubing 27 is then inserted into the elbow 26 after the bushing 31 is placed thereon, which bushing 31 is then screwed into the elbow 26 so that the annular end 36 thereon is forced against the tapered surface 37 and force the end 36 to grip the tubing 27 and form an air tight joint with the elbow 26.

When thus assembled, the downwardly-disposed opening of the fitting 24 is connected to the steam supply conduit 40. Thereupon the entering steam will traverse the tubes 16 the heat being dissipated by the fins 17 and forming a condensate at or near and/or in the outlet header 14. This condensate will run down through the tubing 27 and collect in the pocket formed by the transversely disposed end 32. Such collection of condensate will thereupon seal off the tubing 27 and create a difierential pressure such as will maintain the flow of steam from the inlet header and through the core.

The condensate overflowing the tube end 12 will flow down through the steam supply conduit, which, of course, will be pitched so as to carry the condensate back along ghe 1 conduit, counterwise to the incoming steam, to the o1 er.

Since the attachment of the above-described tubing and the fittings to a convector, designed for use in a onep'ipe system, would expose the tubing and fittings through the air flow inlet 19, a supplemental grill plate 42 generally is arranged in the inlet 19, as shown in Fig. 41

Obviously, it will be necessary to arrange the vent 41 on the outlet header 14' to permit the escape of air from within the tubes 16 and the tubing 27.

Variations and modifications in the details of structure and arrangement of the parts may be resorted to Within the spirit and coverage of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A conversion unit for converting into a one-pipe steam heating system, a conventional two-pipe steam heating core consisting of the usual inlet and outlet headers directly opposed to each other at the end of and supporting steam conduit tubes, which conversion unit comprises a length of tubing substantially equal to the distance between the headers, the tubing having one end bent transversely to the axis thereof, a standard T fitting connected to the tubing and housing the bent end thereof and connectable to the inlet header to dispose the bent end of the tubing in axial alinement with the header inlet above the longitudinal axis of the tubing, and a standard L fitting connected to the opposite end of the tubing and connectable to the outlet header, the fittings thereby suspending the tubing inclined below the core in communicative relationship with the headers. 2. A conversion unit for converting into a one-pipe steam heating system, a conventional two-pipe steam heating core consisting of the usual inlet and outlet headers directly opposed to each other at the end of and supporting steam conduit tubes, which conversion unit comprises a length of tubing substantially equal to the distance between the headers, the tubing having one end bent transversely to the axis thereof and having a drain aperture at the bend, a standard T fitting connected to the tubing and housing the bend end thereof and connectable to the inlet header to dispose the bent end of the tubing in axial alinement with the header inlet above the longitudinal axis of the tubing and to locate the drain aperture within the T fitting below the tubing axis, and a standard L fitting connected to the opposite end of the tubing and connectable to the outlet header, the fittings thereby suspending the tubing inclined below the core in communicative relationship with the headers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 934,297 Englehart Sept. 14, 1909 1,009,031 Millea Nov. 14, 1911 1,160,839 Butts Nov. 16, 1915 1,212,611 Davis Jan. 16, 1917. 1,884,857 Randall Oct. 25, 1932 1,940,152 Steele Dec. 19, 1933 2,056,263 Ehrlich Oct. 6, 1936 2,438,767 Spieth Mar. 30, 1948 2,456,492 Dixon Dec. 14, 1948 2,584,239 Spieth Feb. 5, 1952 

